Mariette Enoch of KIT AID UK (L) and Ritah Aliguma, founder of the Aliguma Foundation (R) in a group photo with children of Acholi Quarters. (Photo by Tugume Ivan)

by Tugume Ivan, Uganda

KAMPALA, June 28, 2018 - In a community like Acholi Quarters, a slum where people barely get a day's meal and having a shelter is a great privilege, receiving over seven sets of sports jerseys for their #slumsoccer teams is a motivation beyond anyone's imagination. Slumsoccer is one of the strategies used to curb idleness among youths and children in the slums, a major cause of crime in such communities.

It's from this background that KIT AID UK, courtesy of Mariette Enoch and Jimmy Enoch, has continued to support Slumsoccer, organized by The Aliguma Foundation in the slums of Acholi Quarters.

The foundation's Slumsoccer program was boosted with a hamper of goodies which included quality sports jerseys of seven different teams, Manchester United T-shirts, tracksuits, sports toys for children, other clothes for both men and women among other gifts.

The session held at Acholi Quarters playground kicked off with prayer led by one of the children, followed by sports quiz and a soccer game among other social activities.While many people think that they can’t make a positive impact on anyone in this world, The Aliguma foundation has taken on an initiative to create change through sports in Uganda's slums with Slumsoccer as one of the programs.

"My actions may have started as small ripples, but they are growing and turning into waves. I believe with dedication and consistency, truly, lives in this community will be transformed through sports as has already been witnessed since we started last year," the founder Ritah Aliguma noted.

When asked why they chose to give back to the community through Aliguma foundation, this is what Marietta narrates;

"My husband and I have always wanted to do something that would change the world. It occurred to us that giving back would change situations and put plenty of good smiles on someone's face by giving the little we get or have. Therefore we made it a mission to improve the quality of life for those women, men, families and community. We are constantly moved by the smiles that come on those faces out of kindness, and the gratitude alone blows our minds.

“When we spoke to those families and we were informed of countless children at risk of dying in rain waters over the years, people can't get out of their homes because of the floods and the drainage system being so bad. So, in response, as an integral part of our mission is to serve those families, we are planning a lot to see that we improve the community with the little we have in an effort to stand for each other.

“Our mission is to help a child move and grow knowing selfishness will never change a community. Let someone see that if he or she is helped then that person can also help the situation by changing the mindsets of those people in that community. Let's have better and prominent Future Leaders. We have to start from somewhere and this is it - using what we have."

"No words can possibly express how happy we are as the foundation for KIT AID UK to partner with us on several occasions, boosting Slumsoccer with sports kits and providing for the mothers of our future footballers with clothes, toys and other basic needs," Saltray Lubega said in a statement to the donors amidst positive chants from the community people on ground.

Aliguma Foundation was founded in 2017 to address challenges within communities through sports, education, health and women empowerment programs.